A cursory look at some of the fashion images of hats and bonnets can leave one a bit confused on this subject. Don't worry; you're not the only one. I've found articles online that claim that there really is no distinction, but that the words are used almost interchangeably.

I doubt a Victorian woman would have agreed. A Victorian woman would know instantly whether a piece of headgear was a hat or a bonnet - and would also know what occasions demanded one or the other. (I don't - if I find out, I'll let you know!) Still, it can be difficult for us to tell them apart, particularly as bonnets evolved over time to look more like hats, and vice versa. But here are some of the distinguishing features:

• Bonnets tend to have a vertical opening. That is, they are set up to frame the face from chin to forehead. (This becomes more pronounced in later Victorian times; bonnets of the 1850's and 1860's are often little more than tiny caps that sit on top of the head.) Hats, by contrast, tend to have a horizontal opening; they sit flat upon the head rather than framing the face.
• Bonnets tend to be made of a flexible material, so that they can be tied around the head and face. Hats are generally more rigid.
• Both bonnets and hats may be tied with ribbons. However, in the case of bonnets, the ribbons are a key element of the design. They are often very long and very large, so that they can be tied into large bows under the chin and trail down over one's gown. In addition, the ribbons are often part of the overall construction of the bonnet and serve as part of its fabric, whereas on hats, they are primarily used as ties only.
• Hats tend to be more formal and more elaborate than bonnets. Hats may feature elements such as stuffed birds or fruit. In the 1890's, hats become enormous concoctions of feathers, flowers, ribbons and more, and bonnets begin to fade from the scene. (In fact, by the 1890's, fashion articles increasingly show women as bareheaded, something you'd rarely see in earlier fashion pictures.)

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